


Scars from Ghosts

by Fangirlshrewt97



Category: Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, No. 15: Scars, Past Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Scars, Whump, Whumptober 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-05
Updated: 2019-10-05
Packaged: 2020-12-01 21:46:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20908724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fangirlshrewt97/pseuds/Fangirlshrewt97
Summary: At a dinner party, a small accident reveals an ugly ghost from Anne’s past she would rather forget existed.Whumptober prompt: ScarsI promise the story is decent if the summary is vague guys!





	Scars from Ghosts

**Author's Note:**

> Hi readers,
> 
> This is my first fic for Anne with an E, so I apologize if I have missed anything or having any big loop holes. I was vague with the timeline, but am not familiar with the farming practices of early 20th century in Northern Canada, so let me know if there is any big discrepancy.   
The story is not beta read, so all errors are my own.  
I am just borrowing the characters to play with them for a bit, but none of them are mine.  
I hope you enjoy the story and if you do, please let me know through kudos and/or comments!
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Fangirlshrewt97

It happened when Anne was least expecting it. Or rather, it happened because she got careless and stopped paying attention. Being in Avonlea, being in Green Gables, she had gotten almost used to the feeling of safety and genuine love from other people towards her.

Green Gables was filled to bursting with all their friends: Gilbert, Bash, Mary, and baby Delphine. Diana, Cole, and Aunt Jo. Ms. Lynde and Ms. Stacy. Matthew had even convinced Jerry to stay over for the party. It was the end of the harvest season, and due to a fruitful season, Matthew had suggested to Marilla that maybe they should celebrate their luck. Marilla had been stunned her brother was the one to make the suggestion, but Anne had been over the moon, squealing and jumping on Matthew, throwing her arms around his shoulders.

After that, Marilla didn’t really have a chance against them both, not that she was actually objecting to it. Ever since Anne had come into their lives, she had brought new life and joy the siblings had not known for a long time. So they sent out the invites for their friends to join them for dinner at the end of the week, and Anne helped Marilla prepare all the food while Matthew went to town to indulge in a small bottle of wine.

The party was in full swing, everyone having enjoying the food and company, happy to take a moment to appreciate the bonds between them all. After dinner, all the guests were gathered in the adjoining living room. Anne and Diana were playing with baby Delphine while Ms. Lynde and Mary looked on, the former giving her (unsolicited) advice on raising children with affection but a strict hand. Marilla and Ms. Stacy were talking about Anne’s progress in school and how Ms. Stacy was adjusting to live in Avonlea after being here for nearly four months. Aunt Jo was nearby and contributed every now and then to give her input on city life. The three boys were all gathered together and talking, though given the differences and minimal interactions, that conversation was the most awkward one in the room. And Bash was asking Matthew a seemingly never ending series of questions followed by fresh optimistic sighs as he learned more about farming and resigned himself to the foreign cold. 

Delphine chose one of the quiet lulls to start crying, making Anne chuckle as she picked up the baby, carefully swinging her in her arms. She completely missed the obviously fond look Gilbert threw her way. When Delphine finally settled, Anne handed the baby off to Mary so she could put the baby to sleep upstairs while the rest of them continued to chat.

Anne was speaking excitedly to Ms. Stacy when it happened, she tripped over a crease in the rug and couldn’t get her balance back fast enough, sending her sprawling on the floor.

“Anne!” came the cry from several directions as Marilla, Diana, and Ms. Stacy all rushed to help the girl up, her face now as red as her hair. They all missed Gilbert’s aborted jolt forward, as well as his clenched fist.

Cole came to lend an elbow while they led Anne to sit beside Aunt Jo.

“Are you alright dear Anne?” Diana asked, worried her friend had been hurt.

Anne, who had suffered much greater physical pain, was more hurt by the embarrassment than the slight sting in her knee from the impact of the wooden floor. “I’m fine Diana.”

“Honestly Anne, how many times do I have to tell you to watch where you walk!” Marilla scolded lightly as she straightened from her crouch beside her adopted daughter.

“I’m sorry Marilla.” Anne apologized.

“Oh Anne, I think you may be hurt!” Ms. Stacy said as she lifted the skirt of her dress slightly to see Anne’s calf.

Anne panicked and shouted “No!”

The scream startled Ms. Stacy who immediately dropped the skirt and took a step back.

“Anne!” Marilla yelled.

“Oh! I am so sorry Ms. Stacy, I didn’t mean - I mean - you just surprised me,” Anne ended weakly, “I’m sorry I scared you.”

“Oh it is fine Anne, I just thought…”

“No, no I’m fine really.” Anne insisted. Marilla crossed her arms and squinted at the redhead, honestly, this girl was more trouble than she was worth some days.

“Can I just check to make sure?” in a tone that indicated she wasn’t actually asking.

“There’s nothing to check!”

“Anne Shirley-Cuthbert!”

“Marilla please…” Anne pleaded, though she knew that Marilla could be just as stubborn as her when she pleased.

As a last effort she looked at Matthew for help. Matthew squared his shoulders before saying “Marilla may just leave her be, since she is fine?”

A silent glare from Matthew got him to back off though, sending Anne an apologetic shrug. Anne yelped when Marilla grabbed her ankle, lighting the hem slightly and turning her calf. Anne closed her eyes and hoped Marilla would just see that there wasn’t anything interesting and let it go. She had never been that lucky though.

“Well you don’t seem to have any scrapes at least…Anne was is this?” Marilla asked as she spied a small area of bumpy skin she had never seen before.

Anne tried to tug her leg out of Marilla’s grasp but she had a tight hold of her. “It’s nothing.”

“Want to try again?” Marilla asked as she moved Anne’s legging slightly up get a better view. She inhaled sharply when she realized the bumped area was actually a scar. A burn scar whose shape was too perfect to have come from an accident.

“It was just an accident at the orphanage…” Anne said, but even she could hear the desperate lie in her words. Matthew had come closer to see the scar for himself.

Feeling self-conscious and realizing the boys were also watching her, Anne roughly brought her leg underneath her, brushing her skirt over the edge of the couch.

“Anne...” And oh, how Anne hated hearing any kind of sadness in Diana’s voice. Turning to see her was a mistake, seeing the sadness was also in her eyes make tears well up in Anne’s own eyes.

“Mr.HammondhadatemperandIdidn’tdomyjobcorrectlysohepunishedme.” Anne said in a big exhale, wanting to get the words out.

“What?” Marilla asked, not having caught a word.

Biting her lips, Anne closed her eyes and inhaled before breathing out and enunciating slowly “Mr.Hammond had a temper and I didn’t do my job correctly. That day. So he punished me.”

The hall was so quiet, the only sound was the crackling of the wood in the fireplace.

“He what?” Marilla asked, voice quiet and stunned.

Anne kept her eyes lowered focusing on her clenched fists which were on her lap.

“He had asked me to have dinner ready by the time he came back home. But one of the kids knocked down the stew from the stove, so I had to clear it and remake it. I didn’t finish in time…So Mr. Hammond decided I need to be punished.”

“By doing what exactly?” Marilla’s voice was cold. Anne bit her lip and crouched into herself as she squeezed her eyes, willing herself not to cry.

“He took the fire poker and… struck me.” Anne said, voice barely audible on the last word.

Diana’s grip on Anne’s arm had loosened, and Anne could feel the tension in the room suffocating her. God, had it been this stuffy a few minutes back. Marilla’s own hand was shaking slightly from what Anne could see through her parted eyelids.

“Oh my dearest Anne…” Aunt Jo said as she broke the tension, moving to tug the young girl into her lap, tucking her head below her own chin. She softly pet her red hair.

That small act of affection was enough to break the dam Anne had been trying to valiantly to keep upright, and Anne burst into sobs, shoulders shaking violently as she fell apart in the older woman’s arms. Aunt Jo, for her part just tightened her grip and held her through it.

It felt like forever, but in reality was only a few minutes before Anne’s sobs became gulping heaves and she finally stopped crying. Slowly, she pushed herself out of the comforting embrace, and raised her her head with trepidation.

Marilla was still half-kneeling on the ground, pale and shaking slightly. Matthew’s mouth was open, and was looking at her with a mix of horror and fear. The boys were all staring at her with wide eyes, while Bash looked on with a clenched jaw and Ms. Stacy had a grim expression on her face. Ms. Lynde and Mary were still upstairs with the baby. By her other side, Diana was silently crying.

“Oh Diana, why are you crying?”

“Why am I? Anne that was so cruel of that evil man to do. I am so sorry.”

“Sorry? Why are you sorry? Does that mean you aren’t…?”

Anne’s fear filled voice seemed to break Marilla out of her trance to ask “Aren’t what?”

“Ashamed…” Anne whispered, shrinking from the older woman’s view.

“Asha- Anne why would I possibly be ashamed of you?” Marilla asked, voice tinged with horror at the thought. Well, mainly because she was still disgusted and furious at this stranger who had harmed her child in such a horrid manner.

“I don’t know.” Anne said, still quiet.

Marilla felt her heart breaking as she saw her stronger and brilliant Anne reduced to this anxious wreck. Moving slowly, Marilla wound her arms around the trembling girl, leaning down to kiss her forehead. The shaking increased as Anne gripped her dress tightly.

“I am not ashamed Anne, and absolutely not of you. I am thinking that if I ever met this Mr. Hammond I might have to do some very unladylike things to him. I am sorry that you had to suffer at his hands though.”

“It’s fine, I’ve had worse.” came the reply, and oh, didn’t that break her heart all over again.

Pulling back just enough to tilt Anne’s head up towards her, Marilla smiled kindly. “I am so proud of you. And I promise that no one will ever hurt you again if I have anything to say. Do you understand?”

Anne’s eyes filled with tears again, but didn’t fall this time. She just nodded quietly.

“Good.”

Mrs. Lynde decided to come back down at this moment with Mary, the two women talking jovially about something. Coming to the bottom of the stairs, they took in the quiet atmosphere. And since Mrs. Lynde wasn’t known for being tactful, she asked bluntly “Well what’s all this then?”

Anne wiped her eyes subtly before jumping up, “Nothing Mrs. Lynde, just took a small fall. Are you guys still hungry? Because we still haven’t had any dessert and Marilla helped me make pie with fruit from the farm” Anne said as she bustled towards the kitchen where the pies where.

Mary raised her eyebrows but Bash just shook his head discreetly. Not the time or place. The rest of the group decided to take the cue from Anne to return to the mood from before.

Of course, no one who had been in that living room was able to sleep that night without the scene replaying in their head.

Anne was still scared that one day a ghost from her past would rear its ugly head and it would be more than her new family could bear. But until then, she slept peacefully with the feeling of Marilla’s hug and promise of safety warming her more than any blanket ever had.

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to chat with me elsewhere, find me at fangirlshrewt97.tumblr.com!


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